Cytosol estrogen receptor content of female parietal peritoneum.

The ovarian and peritoneal mesothelium are believed to derive from the same embryonal coelomic epithelium. Neoplastic proliferation of these epithelia is sometimes grossly and histologically similar. Recently estrogen receptors have been identified in gynecologic neoplasms. With the use of standard techniques, the parietal peritoneum was assessed for estrogen receptor content in 17 women undergoing celiotomy for various reasons. All peritoneal specimens were negative for estrogen receptor content. This suggests a heterogeneous origin of the peritoneal surface epithelium and that peritoneum may not be müllerian in origin.